Toy monorail trolley systems



July 3, 1962 T. K. LTVERSIDGE ETAL 3,

TOY MONORAIL TROLLEY SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 12, 1961INVENTOR5 THOMAS K. LlVERSIDGE ET ATTORNEY.

July 3, 1962 T. K. LlVERSlDGE ET AL 3,041,983

TOY MONORAIL TROLLEY SYSTEMS 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed June 12', 1961 2 FIG.44

Emu

INVENTOR. 1 THOMAS K. LIVERSIDGE' 48 QT M;

ATTORNEY.

3,041,983 TOY MONORAIL TROLLEY SYSTEMS Thomas K. Liversidge, Wayne, andHans Lingenfelder, Wawa, Pa. (both Harmonic Reed Corp, 1111 LancasterAve., Rosemont, Pa.)

Filed June 12, 1961, Ser. No. 116,624 7 Claims. (Cl. 104-93) Thisinvention relates to toy monorail trolley systems and more particularlyto improved suspension and driving devices for vehicles used with suchsystems.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple buteffective trolley suspended toy vehicle for movement along a mono-rail.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a drivingmechanism for a trolley suspended toy vehicle which resists accidentalor undesired removal from the monorail while in operation but is easilyremoved when the vehicle is not in operation and if desired.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedsuspension and driving mechanism for a toy vehicle that prevents 'desway of the vehicle.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the present invention will bemore readily understood from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a monorail toy trolley system inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a suspension and driving mechanismin accordance with the invention, shown as mounted on a monorail;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 44of FIG. 2 and showing the suspension and driving mechanism in endelevation;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line5--5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a. horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line6-6 of FIG. 4.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications andchanges may be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a supporting andconductor rail, of monorail type, is illustrated at 10, and includes apair of conductive metallic strips 11 and 12 separated by an insulatingstrip 13 to which the conductive strips 11 and 12 are secured. Themonorail preferably is relatively easily bendable as required anddesired to provide a trackway of suitable shape and is supported in anydesired manner such as by a plurality of bracket arms 14.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, a vehicle 15 is there shownwhich includes a vehicle body having an upper body portion 17 withinwhich suspension mechanism 18 is provided and a lower body portion 19 insimulation of the passenger or freight compartment of a monorailsupported vehicle.

The suspension mechanism 18 as shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 to 6,inclusive, preferably includes a trolley body 20 of electricallynonconductive material, such as molded synthetic plastic. The body 20has an end thereof with horizontally spaced bifurcations 21 for thereception therebetween of a trolley wheel 22 of any preferred typerotatable on a suitable shaft 23 which extends transversely in thebifurcations 21.

3,041,983 Patented July 3, 1962 ice The wheel 22 is preferably made ofelectrically nonconductive material, such as synthetic plastic, andpreferably has a central section 24 of cylindrical shape and sideflanges 25.

The trolley body 20, at the opposite end thereof, has vertically spacedbifurcations 26 for the reception of a pivotally mounted trolley wheelbracket 27 of electrically nonconductive material. The bracket 27 ispivotally connected by a pivot pin 28 to the trolley body 20. Thebracket 27 has horizontally spaced bifurcations 29 for the reception ofa trolley wheel 30 of any preferred type rotatable on a shaft 31. Thewheel is preferably made of similar material to that of the wheel 22,and preferably has a central cylindrical section 32 and frusto conicalside sections 33.

The trolley body 20 has pivotally mounted therein a vertical shaft 35with an electrical contact and driving roller 36 secured thereto forcontact with one of the metallic contact strips 11 or 12. The upper endof the shaft 35 extends above the trolley body 20 and has a gear 37secured thereto for rotation therewith. The gear 37 can be of anypreferred material but is preferably of synthetic plastic resistant towear, such as nylon, and which is also electrically nonconductive.

The trolley body 20 has pivotally mounted thereon on a verticallyextending pivot pin 38, a shaft carrying sup port 39 having a manuallyoperable arm 40 extending therefrom. A spring 41 mounted at one end on acarrying pin 42 on the arm 40 and received at the other end in a socket43 in the trolley body 20 is provided for normally urging the arm 40.and the support 39 in predetermined directions. The support 39preferably has a vertical shaft 44 rotatably carried therein. The shaft44 at the upper end thereof and above the body 20 has a gear 45 forengagement with the gear 37. The gear 45 is preferably made of the samematerial as the gear 37.

The shaft 44 on the lower end thereof, and below the body 20, isprovided with an electrical contact and driving roller 46 for engagementwith the opposite contact strip 12 or 11 from that engaged by the roller36. The shaft 44 and support 39 can be of electrically conductivematerial.

The trolley body 20 has a bracket arm 48 connected thereto and extendingdownwardly therefrom for supporting the motor frame 49 and stator 50 ofan electric motor M. The motor stator 50 is of any preferred type andhas mounted for rotation therein a wound rotor 51 carried on a motorshaft 52 supported in the motor frame 49. The motor shaft 52 has apinion 53 thereon which meshes with a gear 54 carried on the shaft 35.The shaft 35 is supported by a bearing 55 carried in the frame 49.Brushes 56 may be provided for engagement with a commutator 57 on themotor shaft 52.

The shaft 35 can serve as a conductor to the motor frame 49 to which itis connected. A conductor 58 can be provided for connecting the support39 to the brushes 56; thereby completing the necessary energizingconnections for the motor M.

The mode of operation wll now be pointed out.

With the rollers 36 and 45 in engagement with the contact strips 11 and12 and with the trolley body 20 supported by the trolley wheels 22 and30, when the contact strips 11 and 12 are energized, current will besupplied to the motor M for energizing the same and driving the motorshaft 52. The motor shaft 52 in turn drives the shaft 35. The shaft 35is connected by the gear 37 carried thereon through the gear 45 to drivethe shaft 44. Both the rollers 36 and 45 driven by the shafts 35 and 44are in driving engagement with the rail 10. This driving engagement ismaintained, horizontally considered, by the force exerted by the spring41. on the arm 40.

The trolley body 20 is supported by the trolley wheels 22 and 30 and thetrolley Wheel bracket 27 permits accommodation to various shapes andcurves of the trackway provided by the rail 10. It does not appear to bematerial, in operation, whether the trolley wheel 22 or the trolleywheel 30 leads.

The trolley body 20 may be readily separated from the rail if desired byapplying manual pressure on the arm 40 to move the support 39 so thatthe roller 45 is out of engagement with the rail 10. The vehicle canthen 1. A monorail vehicular device for use with a rail having oppositespaced and insulated conductive face portions comprising a trolley bodyhaving spaced grooved supporting wheels for engagement with the upperedge of the rail, a motor, members at opposite ends of said trolley bodyon horizontal pivotal axes for supporting said rollers in drivingrelation, and an energizing circuit for said motor including saidrollers. v

2. A monorail vehicular device for use with a rail having oppositespaced and insulated conductive face portions comprising a trolley bodyhaving a grooved trolley body supporting wheel at one end thereof forengagement with the upper edge of the rail, a wheel support pivotallymounted on said body at the other end thereof, a grooved trolley bodysupporting wheel carried by Said support, a motor, members forsupporting said motor from said trolley body, spaced driving rollers forengagement with the opposite face portions of the rail, and membersconnecting said motor and said rollers in driving relation.

3. A monorail vehicular device for use with a rail having oppositespaced and insulated conductive face portions comprising a trolley bodyhaving a pair of spaced grooved supporting wheels for engagement withthe upper edge of the rail at opposite ends of said body and mounted onhorizontal pivot axes, a motor, members for supporting said motor fromsaid trolley body, spaced driving rollers on vertical pivot axes anddisposed intermediate said supporting Wheels for engagement with theopposite face portions of the rail, and members connecting said motorand said rollers in driving relation.

4. A monorail vehicular device as defined in claim 3 in which saiddriving rollers are connected and driven in unison and one of saidrollers is resiliently urged towards the other.

5. A monorail vehicular device comprising a trolley body having asupporting wheel for rail engagement carried thereby at one end thereofon a horizontal pivotal axis, a Wheel bracket pivotally mounted on saidtrolley body at the other end thereof and having a supporting Wheel forrail engagement carried thereby on a horizontal pivotal axis, a verticaldriving shaft carried by said body, a rail engaging roller on saidshaft, a shaft support pivotally mounted on said trolley body, a rollershaft car ried by said support, members connecting said vertical shaftand said roller shaft for driving said roller shaft, a second railengaging roller on said roller shaft, a resilient member for urging saidsupport to position said second engaging roller for rail engagement, atdriving motor, a bracket 'arrn carried by said trolley body on whichsaid motor is mounted, and driving connections from said motor to saidvertical shaft.

6. A monorail vehicular device comprising a trolley body havingsupporting Wheels for rail engagement carried thereby at opposite endsthereof on horizontal pivotal axes, a vertical driving shaft carried onsaid body, a rail engaging roller on said shaft, a shaft supportpivotally mounted on said trolley body, a roller shaft carried by saidsupport, members above said body connecting said vertical shaft and saidroller shaft for driving said roller shaft, a second rail engagingroller On said roller shaft,

connections for energizing said motor including a conductor extendingfrom said shaft support to said motor.

7. A monorail vehicular device comprising a trolley body havingsupporting wheels for rail engagement carried thereby at opposite endsthereof on horizontal pivotal axes, a vertical driving shaft carried bysaid body, a rail engaging and contact roller on said shaft, a shaftsupport pivotally mounted on said trolley body, a roller shaft carriedby said support, members connecting said shafts for driving said rollershaft, a second rail engaging roller on said roller shaft, a resilientmember for urging said support to position said second rail engagingroller for rail engagement, a lever for manual retraction of saidsupport, a driving motor, a supporting device carried by said trolleybody on which said motor is mounted, and driving connections from saidmotor to said vertical shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSMarquard Apr. 12, 1960

